


The Ultimate Treasure

by francythat



Category: Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 18:49:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11538303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/francythat/pseuds/francythat
Summary: Alternate ending to Secret of Shadow Ranch.





	The Ultimate Treasure

Seeing Shorty run is hysterical! Except for the fact that there is a damn good reason to run if Shorty is running. I rushed to the house to make sure he hadn’t set the kitchen on fire. Since everything looked fine I hightailed it back to the horses. While I grabbed Ace’s saddle and bridle from the wall, I asked Tex if he knew where Shorty was off to. Of course he didn’t. Those two are both useless. Well did he know where Nancy had gone? He didn’t know that either. Ugh.

Thankfully next to running, horseback riding is also something Shorty never does so he actually picked our slowest horse. A real blessing for me as I’m pushing Ace to the limits trying to catch up and figure out what the hell he is up to. After seeing the kitchen was fine I knew he must be going after Nancy. I had to help her.

Turned out it wouldn’t have helped me if Tex had known where they were headed because once he got to Trail Stop he practically ninety-degree pivoted Clyde and took off towards the mountains. If he wasn’t suspicious before, he was absolutely suspicious now. There was no doubt in my mind - he was out to hurt Nancy. I pushed Ace even harder, slowly gaining on him. Then I watched in horror as he got to the mountain and released Bob! I was pushing Ace so hard, he wouldn’t be able to take me and Nancy back to the ranch, I had to save Bob first.

It didn’t take long to intercept Bob and get him to follow me back to the mountains. Once I found the entrance that Nancy and Shorty had obviously used, I hid Bob and Ace and took off up the rope. I didn’t hide the horses so Shorty wouldn’t know I was here, I just didn’t want him to strand me and Nancy again. Once I got to the mouth of the cave I saw the garbled message of colors. I didn’t need directions, my heart would guide me to Nancy. Well, it wouldn’t hurt if she’d respond to me calling for her also. That would work well too.

“Nancy! It’s me! Where are you! Nancy?” I now knew what my Hell would look like if I somehow ended up there. It would be this. Wandering around in this cave maze, alternating shouts and listening, thinking the slightest sound was Nancy’s response.

And then, I heard a commotion! I was so close! Suddenly, Shorty flew past me in the room next door. “He must have just left Nancy! I’ve got to find her!” I quickly headed in the direction Shorty had just come from and then I saw the door! “Nancy! Nance can you hear me? Are you alright?!!”

“Dave?!! Oh thank goodness! Get me out of here!” She screams as she pounds on the door.

“Stand back!” The door looked heavy but I didn’t care. I busted through the door on the first try.

“Dave!!” She cried as she fell into my arms. She looked so scared. So defeated.

“He got away!!” She sobbed. “He said he released Bob, I thought I’d die here!”

“I would never let that happen.” She looked up at me, and between sobs, smiled.

“But he got away! He has Dirk’s treasure! Your treasure!” She went into hysterics again.

“You are my treasure Nancy.” I whisper in her ear and then kiss her on her forehead. That just started a whole new set of sobs. “Nancy, look at me,” I grab her chin and pull her face towards mine. “Everything is going to be ok.”

“I never fail. Dad will never let me leave the house if he knew I almost died for real this time. I’d never be able to look the Hardy’s in the eye again. My sleuthing days are over!! And Ned will never be able to understand.”

“Nancy, they all love you, it really can’t be as bad as that.”

“Oh yes, it’ll probably be worse. And everyone I’ve caught will now think I’ve lost my grip and come find me! You should just leave me here to die!”

“Nancy, what do you want me to do??”

“Leave me.”  
“Besides that.” I huff, annoyed. She’s silent for a while and I’m not entirely sure she actually heard me. Suddenly she whispers, “Take me away. Take me where no one will find me.”

“Like the witness protection program?”

“Yes! Exactly like that! In Alaska! Then you can have every excuse to hold me tight.” She whispers.

Now Alaska would not be my top choice, but she had a good point with the holding her bit. She was not the same Nancy I’d fallen for, fearless, flawless, undefeated, but she was my Nancy, and she needed me.

“As you wish.”


End file.
